For the second time, the Maior, the season opener for sea sailors off Kiel, was offered not only to ORC-measured yachts, but also to owners who want to sail according to yardstick. The aim: more participants. But once again there was a lack of interest. What they missed out on were perfect sailing conditions with sunshine and winds of up to 4 Beaufort, despite some waiting times. Even only nine boats in the otherwise strong J/70 class did not meet the organisers' expectations.
This year, however, the German Open of the J/24, which took place at the same time, livened up the inner course and justified the effort. There were 15 yachts in each of the two groups ORC A&B and ORC C&D.
The "Dixi4" from Denmark dominated the ORC A&B category at the Maior, had it not been for the last day. On board were Bertil Balser and Bendix Hügelmann from Axel Seehafer's former "Sportsfreund" crew. RVS boss Bertil Balser and Bendix Hügelmann know the X-41 inside out. Whether they will remain on board the "Dixi4" of the Dane Erik Stannow (Helsingør Seijlklub) up to and including the World Championships in the summer has not yet been decided. However, a joint appearance by the former "Sportsfreund" crew has become less likely. The other former crew members are more likely to appear on different yachts at the World Championships, says Balser, who can also explain the name "Dixi4". It is a tribute to the owner's father, who loved jazz and Dixi.
The race on the "Dixi4" off Kiel was a very special kind of home game. After two days of racing, the German-Danish crew was in the lead, but then European champion Michael Berghorn (Kieler Yacht-Club) secured overall victory with the "Halbtrocken 4.5" in the final sprint with two race wins on the final day. "We just like it exciting," said Berghorn. "No, seriously, the X41 is already a strong weapon and will of course also be a strong competitor in the next regattas," said Berghorn with a view to Kiel Week.
The competition among the smaller yachts
Max Gurgel (multiple German ORC champion with "Rubix", "Solconia", "X-Day" "Intermezzo" and in match racing) is bought in to make boats faster. At the Maior, the yacht optimiser, who has already led four ORCi projects to championship titles, was on board the "Loli" (Jan Adam/Lübecker Yacht-Club/X-362 Sport). In the end, it was enough for fourth place in the ORC C&D group. The group was dominated by the "Sydbank".
"It was a nice performance comparison with good races. Of course, it's always easier to be satisfied as the winner. We were really lucky with the wind and weather," said Torsten Bastiansen, who sailed his X-35 back to his home harbour immediately after crossing the finish line. The "Stony VIII" took second place ahead of Knut Freudenberg with his First 36.7 "Halbtrocken".
The "Rubix" crew had mixed feelings at the end. Project manager Eshana Müller: "It was a great event and you can tell that preparations for the World Cup are in full swing. We ourselves had good and bad phases. We have to and want to improve a lot before the World Cup."
J/70 weakly manned at the Maior
As in 2022, only a few boats were lost on the course in the standardised J/70 class. After twelve last year, only nine J/70s started this year. "We had hoped for more. The 54 entries from six nations for Kiel Week show that the class is alive and well," said Dirk Ramhorst, Head of Organisation of the Kiel Week regattas. Without the defending champion and last year's runner-up Sören Hadeler (SV Gelting-Mole), last year's third-placed sailor from Denmark, Jonny Jensen, took his chance to win and relegated the former 505 World Champion Claas Lehmann to second place due to his poorer individual placings.
Lehmann will be back at the start for Kieler Woche, which he won twice in the 505 (2003 and 2005 against Hunger/Jess, among others) and twice in the J/70 (2014 and 2021). "I always look forward to Kiel and the Kiel organisation," says the Hamburg native, who also has former successful 470 sailor Frederike Löwe on board (2017 Kiel Week winner with foresailor Anna Markfort and 2018 European runner-up).
German Open of the J/24 to the Maior
In the J/24 class, the German Open was sailed to the Maior. Jette Lyssewski, chairwoman of the class association, proved to be an absolute expert on the scene. With the announcement of ten to 15 boats from three nations (Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden), the Hamburg native made a precision landing. Lyssewski is part of the women's crew "Derbe Kerle". There will also be a reunion with the Blankeneser Segel-Club team in June. The title went to SV Altona-Oevelgönne with skipper Fritz Meyer. On board Jonas Lyssewki. A prize that his sister Jette was particularly pleased to present.
